Falmouth braces for a new day
Published:Friday | September 17, 2010 | 12:00 AM
Livern Barrett, Gleaner Writer
Preparations for the arrival of the first cruise ship in the north-coast town of Falmouth, Trelawny, have kicked into high gear, raising expectations among stakeholders of an economic revival for the parish.
The heightened expectations have also been fuelled by the Trelawny Parish Council's plan to re-develop the Market Street area of Falmouth into a major commercial centre.
"For a long time, Falmouth has been a sleeping town. I hope this will improve the economy of the town and the country on a whole," said local businessman Richard Shirley.
In addition to the indirect benefits to residents, Shirley said the new development will open up opportunities for businesses, especially those geared towards the hotel industry.
Sonia Thomas, a vendor at the Falmouth Market, was equally optimistic about the potential economic boost, even though she has concerns about the location of the new market.
"Falmouth will be globalised. It was closed, but now its open to the whole wide world," she told The Gleaner.
Two of the six cruise ships due in Falmouth by late December are to arrive on November 3. They will use the two First-World piers being constructed at the entrance to the town.
The others are scheduled to arrive on November 17, December 1, 15 and 26.
Construction of the piers is behind schedule, but Project Manager Jes Olsen said temporary arrangements are being put in place to allow the ships to dock in November.
"There will be separate fencing and the construction will be either closed or ceased away from where the ships are the day when the ships come in," Olsen told The Gleaner.
"The ships can come in but the guests' experience will be a little less ..." he added.
Olsen blamed design changes and the complicated nature of the work as the primary reasons for the delays.
In addition, he said the original schedule may have been overly optimistic.
Work has started over in the Market Street area, but mayor of Trelawny, Collen Gager, has already conceded that the December deadline will not be met.
According to Gager, the work is now expected to be completed by March next year.
Gager said there has been a run on lands in the Market Street area, noting that a fast-food outlet, a supermarket and a bank have advanced plans to construct outlets in the new business district.